Children Of Olympus: The Godling's Fate
by RRedson
Summary: It doesn't help that the best day ever at school was ruined by some demented snake thing and me finding out I'm the child of an Olympian God. But how specifically I was left in charge of protecting the child of two Gods was beyond me. This is the one where I have to take a Baby God to the only place on Earth that is safe. [Set after Heroes of Olympus] Percabeth with Nico feels.
1. My Friend Breaks Some Teeth

1. My Friend Breaks Some Teeth.

My name is Natalie Hunt and I am going to tell you about the day the world I grew up in was destroyed forever. Not literally, but figuratively.  
I'm not very fond of being adventurous, in fact, I would rather stay at home, bouncing a bouncy ball of my wall for hours than go on the end of year school trip to a bowling alley. It didn't help I was being forced too by my Mother and my so called best-friend Shannon.  
She was not your average girl, with jet black hair that was often in a mess and a personality that seemed to match it. I can remember the first day at Brookside Academy, a private school twenty miles across the Brooklyn Bridge. Due to my ADHD and dyslexia, I was placed in a special programme to not only learn what everyone else was learning but also how to deal with my 'special problems' in real life.  
Shannon was the only person in the programme apart from me.  
"Mint?" Shannon nudged me in the arm and offering me a paper full of clear oval sweets.  
"No thanks," she took them back and plopped another in her mouth. "You worry too much, just calm down."  
I bit back a laugh as she practically spat at the seat in front of her. "I don't like tight spaces."  
"Maybe you have claustrophobia?"  
"I don't, I can handle being like this but I just do not like it," I said. Shannon shrugged.  
It had been an hour before the bus pulled up outside a multiplex cinema and arcade. Everyone was restless and preparing themselves to race inside the sci-fi themed building. Mrs Doyle, a woman in her forties, stood at the front of the bus, the new assistant teacher knelt on the chair beside her. Yesterday was her first day at Brookside and she was quite easy to spot in the crowd as her blonde hair was vibrant and tied back in a ponytail and she had the cloudiest grey eyes you had ever seen. It was almost like her mind was always thinking of too many things at once.  
"Right, listen up," Mrs Doyle exhaled. "We're here to have fun, not destroy the place."  
Some boys at the front made ape noises and Mrs Doyle gave them a look which could be read as _mess with me if you dare_.  
"Now you will go to the counter and get your shoes and then with your partner," Shannon was mine and I gave her a chirpy smile. "Go to the alleys assigned to you, only four people to an alley."  
Mrs Doyle nodded to the bus driver and he opened the doors, allowing the flood of students near enough the age of sixteen out into the world. Both me and Shannon stood from our seats but when Shannon reached down for her bag, her fingers barely touched a metal grate when she jumped back up, her hair whipping me in the face. "Ow!"  
"What?" I asked.  
"Electric shock" she looked at her fingers, her blue eyes almost as wide as an owls. "Flippin' hurt it did."  
"Wimp" I laughed, hearing her scoff at me as I walked down the aisle.  
I was almost at the door when a blue Yankees baseball cap fell to the floor. I tried to pick it up when a tanned hand snatched it off the floor. Looking up I found myself staring at the assistant teacher's rather annoyingly beautiful face. That's right, I can appreciate when a woman looks hot.  
"Sorry" she briefly muttered before jumping off the bus and literally running into the multiplex.  
"What's with Barbie?" Shannon frowned, receiving a shrug back from me before the other students behind pushed us out. "Hey."  
"Aw come on," some guy complained, only to get cut off when a hand hit the back of his head.  
Looking back, I smiled at the owner of the hand as he returned a one-sided grin. "Show the girls some respect."  
Liam Woolf, a decent enough guy who was probably mine and Shannon's only friend outside of the Brookside programme. He had light brown hair which could only be described as naturally stylised and had a very trustful look on his face. Like the rest of us he wore his own clothes yet somehow his always had a sense of elegance and pride in his outfit. I once asked him if he plans his clothing to which he always replied 'No, my wardrobe does it for me'.  
"Come on will you Natalie, I'm aching to blast them pins to pieces," Shannon bounced.  
"You're very violent aren't you Zippy," Liam teased, pinching Shannon's right cheek as he walked passed.  
"It's Shannon."  
"Whatever you say Zippy."

The bowling alley was what I expected. Like the outside, everything was either metal or space themed. The alleys were lit up by neon railings and already some families were bowling with glow in the dark bowling balls.  
We did as Mrs Doyle said and swapped our shoes for the typical bowling ones. Except these had little symbols painted on the toes, one caught my eye as it looked like a horseshoe with shoes.  
_Omega_.  
I looked around, hoping to find the person who had just spoken to me. But no one looked like they fit the voice. At first I thought it was my own but it sounded too different to be mine.  
"You OK Natalie?" Shannon said. I didn't reply straight away but it was only when I noticed a woman, standing tall and confident beside the desk. Her long billowing brown hair travelled down her back as she wore a formal cream blouse and what appeared to be a black snake skin pencil skirt. She had coffee coloured skin and her nails rhythmically tapped on the counter, staring intently in our direction.  
She sauntered her way to the cashier and stopped in front of me as I finished lacing my shoes up. "Is everything fine here ladies?"  
I was going to answer her but I was quickly cut off by a more strict and rather irritated voice.  
"They are just fine," the blonde teachers assistant butted in. Literally moving in between me and the woman. "Girls, go and enjoy the day here, alley ten."  
"I'm sorry but who are you?" the woman asked, emphasising the words ending in vowels.  
The teachers assistant narrowed her eyes. "I am Annabeth Chase and I work at Brookside Academy. These girls are here for a school trip and I intend they get it"  
The woman smiled sadistically as she offered out her hand to Annabeth. "Well Miss Chase, I am Mrs L. Mia. Enjoy our facilities."  
The assistant, Annabeth, turned and gently pushed me and Shannon in the direction off our alley, all the while she was keeping a stern face. When she saw us sat down she leaned over and said "Stay here and don't you dare move."  
"Geez, did someone burn Barbie's boyfriend?" Shannon joked, leaning back on the metal seat but once again jumping to her feet as she received another electric shock.  
It turned out that our opponents for the trip was ironically Liam and the guy he hit over the back of the head. I think his name was John, James, Jack?  
"Ready to be beaten girls?"  
"Like hell you will." I retorted, picking up a bowling ball which had a blue trim to test the weight of it.  
The rest off the night we spent playing many rounds, on the odd occasion we would change teams just to keep it fresh. Whatever the case, the boy whose name began with J was not good at aiming. Sometimes his ball landed in another person's lane, other times he would release it wrong and throw it backwards. I was medium skill when it came to throwing but Shannon was almost a pro as she almost got a strike every time. Liam didn't allow her winning streak to last though as he soon went into competition mode. At one point she even dug through her bag for her lucky brass bracelet, a tatted piece of metal that her Mother gave her.  
"Miss Hunt" Turning round, I was slightly surprised to see Mrs Mia eyeing up our group. She sniffled twice, as if she had a cold. "I'm going to need both you and your Lady friend to come with me."  
"Why?"  
"You've had an excellent run my dear, my staff and I have agreed to give you a prize but only if you come with me." Mrs Mia extended her hand, signalling us to follow her. I looked over at Shannon and she nodded her head like a bobbing doll, excited and enjoying the fact she got a prize and Liam didn't.  
Although reluctant, I still followed Mrs Mia as she led me and Shannon into a back corridor, leading down into her office. Two chairs had already been placed in front of an old wooden desk. Junk and papers littered the room, Mrs Mia even kicked some away as she tried to close the door. Taking a seat in front of us, she rested comfortably and stared at us, a weird smile growing on her face.  
"So where's our reward?" Shannon pestered, sitting on the edge of her seat.  
"You'll get what's coming to you, don't worry," she grinned, her teeth seeming a bit more toothy than before. "Now, I hear you are part of a special programme at your school."  
"So?" I said.  
"I was just wondering what I was going to put on the paperwork." Mrs Mia glanced between the two of us before letting her violent green eyes land on me. "Is there any other student in this programme?"  
"No, just us," Shannon sharply replied. "Now where is this prize?"  
"One minute little godling" she hissed back. Suddenly a thought came into my head that we weren't going to get a prize. I felt something cold on my leg but I shook it off, thinking it was the air conditioning.  
"Godling?" I asked, once again feeling something cold, on my ankle this time.  
"Yes and I'm sorry that I have to inform you of this but right now, you're going to die." Mrs Mia licked her lips, her forked tongue dashing out wildly. I stood from my chair, reaching my arm out for Shannon but my body seemed to fail me. I heard crashing as my stomach turned upside down and cold wrapped around my body. Shannon cursed something whilst an annoying hissing sound filled my ears.  
It took me a second to realise what was happening as I saw the whole world upside down. I couldn't move my body and talking felt like it was burning my lungs, stroke was the only word passing through my mind. "What is happening?"  
"Little girls," Mrs Mia exceptionally hissed. "So tender."  
"Shannon?"  
"Look!" Shannon pointed to my side and I looked in the direction, biting my tongue in the process of what I saw.  
The desk was split in two and where two coffee skinned legs should be was a huge, long black snake tail which disappeared under Mrs Mia's blouse. She had grown in size and her skin had paled to a deathly white, clashing with the blackness of her tail and eyes. Seeing this, I soon realised that I was being hung upside down by her tail which was wrapped tightly twice around my torso and arms.  
"What are you?" I wheezed.  
"I am Lamia!" she said. "Devourer of Children, Bane to the Goddess Hera and Daughter of Hecate!"  
"I'm confused." Shannon whined. Lamia bared her teeth, snapping together before trailing her clawed finger across my cheek. "Stop that!"  
"There is no escape from my clutches, I will devour you ..." she sniffed the air, coiling up as Shannon once again tried the door which was locked. "You, dark haired girl, you smell like Hera, you will die first!"  
Shannon had no time to react as Lamia surged forward, she raised her hands up in defence but against Lamia, I couldn't see it working. I shut my eyes, not wanting to see my friend being eaten by this creature. A loud clang rang through the room, followed by the pained hisses of Lamia, the evil snake vampire. "My fangs, you broke my teeth!"  
Her tail loosened and I fell to the floor, grunting as I landed on my back. Crawling away from the thrashing Lamia, I barely noticed the door being kicked open and there in the doorway stood Annabeth, the assistant teacher, wielding a copper coloured blade. "Go blend in, they said, you'll love it, they said. Stupid Seaweed Brains."  
"You're a half-blood, I smell it on you" Lamia hissed through broken teeth, some shards were still falling out as she moved. "Daughter of Athena!"  
"Daughter of what?" I muttered.  
No one had time to answer as Lamia surged forward, using her tail as pogo-stick. What I expected to be the sound of ripping flesh was instead the sound of something sharp swinging through the air. Looking up, Annabeth was holding Lamia's head with her left hand whilst she jabbed her small blade into the snake creature's body, ripping half her chest as she dragged it out. Lamia whined and spat as she coiled up one final time before bursting into black dust.  
"What was that?" I whispered.  
"Lamia, a vile woman who ate her own children." Annabeth explained, sheathing her blade back into her wrist scabbard. "I think I may have to explain some things to you."  
"Hell yeah you do!"  
"But first, how did you two break Lamia's teeth?" Annabeth asked. "Cause neither of you were prepared as I was."  
"When she attacked me, she bit down on my bracelet and she kind of backed off in pain," Shannon explained. "Maybe she doesn't like retro fashion."  
Shannon laughed at her own joke, rubbing the bracelet as she did and receiving another static shock.  
"Dammit!"  
"So freaky snake lady didn't like copper?" I said and Annabeth shook her head.  
"No," she stated. "That there is celestial bronze, the metal of Mount Olympus"  
"What?"  
"I'll tell you when we're safe, which right now, we're not!" Annabeth stressed, running out of the door, expecting us to follow.


	2. Barbie Gets Singed

2. Barbie Gets Singed.

Annabeth was already outside, waiting at the entrance and tapping her foot on the ground. Me and Shannon looked at each other then around us, noticing how no-one even turned their heads to look at us.  
I spotted our alley to see Liam looking round, as if he was trying to find us whilst the guy whose name began with a J was still throwing his ball onto the track next to ours. Leading through the room, I was still trying to decide where I should go. Do I follow the person who had just saved our lives, to especially find out what on Earth was going on? Or do I return back our lost looking friends?  
It turned out I had no choice in the matter as I accidentally bumped into Mrs Doyle who gave me a confused look. "I'm sorry dear I did not see you there."  
"No problem Mrs Doyle." I replied.  
"Do I know you?" she asked, peering at us like she was half blind. If she got any closer I was suspecting Shannon would make her blind.  
"Mrs Doyle, it's us, Natalie Hunt and Shannon O'Riley," I said, pointing to the both of us. The teacher did not look confidently at us. "We're part of the programme."  
"What programme?" I was going to say something inappropriate when one of Liam's partner's throws narrowly missed my feet. "Jonathan!"  
It was Jonathan, now I felt the little switch of recognition flip in my brain.  
Mrs Doyle wandered off to deal with the problem whilst me and Shannon were left in absolute bewilderment. Our own teacher didn't recognise us.  
Annabeth must have noticed us because she quickly walked over to us. "What's wrong?"  
"She didn't recognise us," I gaped. Annabeth nodded whilst Shannon received another static shock off a metal statue. "She didn't recognise us?"  
"I know, I did that." Annabeth seemed to be smug when she said it although I was sure she didn't intend to sound like she was. Shannon must have heard it because I saw her tense up. If there was anything she hated worst than bullies, it was people who thought they were better than others. "Now, let's get out of here before more Lamias turn up."  
"More!" I whined in a high-pitched voice, one I wasn't proud of making. Annabeth shushed me in a harsh and wary tone.  
"Maybe, some people say they live in a clan. Others say there is only one, the cannibal we just killed." she explained before nodding to the door and marching off.  
I grabbed her hand and making her turn round to face me, her intensifying grey eyes meeting mine. I thought I saw a look of recognition in them but they soon changed to one that could only be translated as _'get your hands off before I break them off'_.  
"Not before you explain what just happened." Shannon growled. Annabeth sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose as if this was all exhausting. "You just killed the owner of this place, who had a snake tail for legs."  
Seeing no other way to get us to follow her, Annabeth pushed us to a corner of the room and began to explain everything. "You know in Greek Mythology, the Gods and Monsters?"  
"Yes." We both said.  
"Well, they're real." Annabeth said, looking serious and I couldn't help but wonder if this was a prank on TV or something. "The Gods are real, they live in Olympus and sometimes they come down to Earth and hook up with Mortals. This often leads to people like us, Half-Bloods, children of the Gods."  
"Us?" Shannon cocked her head.  
"Yes, I was sent here to keep an eye on two Half-Bloods, I didn't know who you were at first but with you being the only students in the 'special' programme," She sniggered. "You stuck out, ADHD and dyslexia are qualities that all Half-Bloods have. And before you say anything about Gods having weird children, the ADHD are your battle reflex, you can't stay still which would often help when you face creatures like Lamia."  
Shannon didn't seem to believe her before somehow I was, even when I was stuck in Lamia's grasp, all I could do was struggle out. Annabeth continued. "Your dyslexia is due to your brain being hard-wired for ancient Greek, you recognised the symbols on your bowling shoes didn't you?"  
I nodded and surprisingly so did Shannon.  
"And I can guess that both of you have one parent, the other not around anymore and you have no memory of them." They was no reply as she had hit the nail pretty hard on the head.  
I don't often speak about my family, neither does Shannon. I was lucky, even though my Mom is a single parent, she's a rich single parent who has a nice family. We didn't live in a Mansion, both me and Mom share our dislike for showing off our money. Instead, we live in a large apartment that could fit a family of twelve if you wanted too.  
Shannon on the other hand lived on the outskirts of Manhattan, living in a run-down garage which her Mother runs alongside Shannon's Grandfather. She was a hands on woman, spending most of her nights grease covered a dirty since the water was once again not working. Shannon offered to help but her Mother stops her from doing so and doesn't explain why.  
I have had many talks with Shannon about her wanting too run away, luckily she hasn't had the urge or timing to do it.  
Annabeth coughed, catching my attention. "You are the child of a God and a Mortal and now that you know, neither of you are safe."  
"Like we were back in that room." Shannon gawked.  
"That was just a random Monster, you entered her Lair." Annabeth explained, tucking a loose curl behind her ear. "Monsters hate Half-Bloods, they sniff them out. Knowing what you are seems to make your scent more noticeable."  
"SO we could have been risking our lives by staying here?" I asked, feeling a slight amount of regret in my stomach.  
Annabeth nodded. "There is a place near Long Island that will protect you from these Monsters."  
"You wanna take us there?" Shannon blurted. "Not being funny here Barbie but some of us have Mothers waiting for us at home."  
Annabeth winced at this and not in the _'you wound me'_ sense, more like _'prepare yourself for an ass-whooping'_.  
"I'm gonna let that slide cause none of you know my life so don't make assumptions." She gritted her teeth, placing her hand over the scabbard hidden underneath her long sleeve shirt. "Now I suggest we leave since we may have just let other Monsters find our scent and no one here will help because they don't know who you are."  
Giving no chance to reply, Annabeth glared at Shannon and swiftly turned around, leaving the bowling alley. We quickly followed.  
As we were leaving, I took one glance back and found Liam standing behind Mrs Doyle screaming at Jonathan, still looking round the room. His eyes finally found me and his crooked half smile appeared. I felt he was looking confused as the doors shut behind us.

We were soon piled into a Taxi, driving down seventh avenue. Annabeth had managed to call one over and apart from the expensive fare the Driver explained that he would have to make a stop for fuel. Although she wasn't happy at first, Annabeth agreed since she could tell from the metres in front of the Driver that they didn't have enough fuel to even reach Central Park let alone the Manhattan Bridge.  
It was mostly silent, just the subtle noises of car honking each other and an argument in the middle of traffic. Home sweet home. The sky was growing dark as thunder clouds drifted over the city.  
"How much longer will it take?" Shannon whined.  
"We're five minutes off a gas station, then it'll take half an hour in this traffic to get to Camp."  
"Camp?" I asked, peering round so I could see Annabeth's tiresome profile.  
"Yes, the place we're heading too is called Camp Half-Blood." She explained, looking round as if we were being followed.  
Shannon hid back a giggle, probably finding it funny that the safest place from Monsters was a place with tents and counsellors and activities. I would't have believed it myself but I decided that day to keep an open mind, a really open mind.  
The taxi pulled up at the gas station and I was half glad to stretch my legs. Annabeth said she was going to ring up the Camp, telling them we were on our way. This left me and Shannon standing around, watching the Driver fill up the gas tank.  
"So, your Dad's a God?" Shannon joked, nudging me in the ribs.  
"Maybe?" I was telling the truth, I still didn't know what to make of it all.  
As we were talking, I noticed something standing against the side of a gas pump. He was standing around a red pick-up truck which was filled with three other similar looking men. Each had dark beady eyes and hands that seemed to big to use. The one filling up the tank accidentally dropped the pump, wasting a few dollars worth of fuel.  
"You fool!" The one in the Driver's seat growled.  
"I'm sorry Sir." The other one whimpered, bowing slightly as if he was scared.  
"You'll be paying for that later!" The one standing against the pump said, moving to join the others in the truck. "Right now we need to find them Half-Bloods."  
That caught my attention. "What if they got away Sir?"  
"No, I still smell them." The oldest one said, sniffing the air. "They're near by."  
I poked Shannon in the arm, getting her attention away from the vending machine nearby. "We have a problem."  
"What?"  
"I think we have a family of Monsters in front of us." I whispered, nodding in the direction of the red truck.  
"Where?!" She blurted. Everyone turned to look at us, even the large handed men. "Oops Sorry."  
"Sir!" The youngest of the four sniffed. "They smell really close."  
"So close, I can see them." The three inside the truck got out, all letting their dark eyes land on me and Shannon. All of them seemed to growl in delight as they were only a few feet away from us. No one seemed to notice them act weirdly.  
"Oh no." I muttered. Suddenly the men started to shift, their large hands turning dark and shiny whilst their necks extended and heads shifted in that of a dogs. "What the hell are they?"  
The lead dog man rolled his eyes and tutted. "For once I want to meet a new Half-Blood who knows who we are."  
"The last one to recognise us was four months ago." Another moaned. "We're Telekhines girl!"  
"I don't care about being recognised, the more Half-Bloods we kill the more I can sleep at night!" A grumpier one added. "Just kill them!"  
The youngest one bared his teeth and was about to attack when his face went blank and he made a squeal before her burst into black dust. Behind him stood a storm-faced blonde guy, he was roughly eighteen but built up like a professional athlete. In his hand he held a sword which had a similar colour to Annabeth's. He wore an orange shirt which had '**Camp Half-Blood**' written on the front. He smiled at the Telekhines, a scar on his lip shined as lightning lit up the dark sky.  
"Back off sea-dog!" he said, his voice vibrated like the thunder. The Telekhines growled in response.  
All of Hades was let loose as the remaining three Telekhines pounced on the boy in the orange shirt. I was confused at first when no one reacted to the four dog people in front of us but now everyone was scattering, someone even began filming the fight. The guy managed to swipe the head of a Telekhine that tried to bite his feet.  
Shannon was dragged away by some of the fleeing crowd, leaving me on my own. I noticed quickly that whilst the guy in the orange shirt was dealing with the oldest Telekhine he didn't notice the other one sneaking up behind him. Acting on instinct, coming from deep inside, I picked up a nearby mop and ran forwards. The guy locked eyes with mine, punching the dog creature in front of him whilst I swung for the one behind him.  
"What the-" my mop caught the Telekhine in the mouth, forcing him to the ground where he whined in pain. "Ow!"  
"Thanks there, ashamed I didn't see him there." Orange shirt jumped to his feet. "The name's Jason, have you seen a girl named Annabeth?"  
"Watch out!" Shannon's voice caught our attention. Looking up, I barely saw Shannon breaking through the crowd, her hand outstretched and her eyes shining. A blinding light made me turn my head as a trembling roar filled my ears.  
The light disappeared as quick as it appeared. Opening my eyes, the smell of burning flesh wafted up my nose. Jason must have smelt it too because together we turned to see two piles of ash on the floor and smoke rising upwards. What was surprising was that Annabeth was standing, her blade raised up as if she was going to stab someone and her entire front was black and the tips of her hair was glowing red. "What was that?"  
"Lightning." Jason smirked, looking over towards Shannon who was stunned and as still as a statue. "She can control lightning."  
"You think?" Annabeth spat, finally moving and shaking her head.  
"Are you OK?" Jason asked.  
"I'm fine."  
"I'm only asking, Percy would never forgive me if I let you get eaten by Telekhines." Jason joked, placing his sword in a scabbard at his side. "But now we know why these Half-Bloods were so important"  
Jason turned his attention back to Shannon who was now by my side. She placed a steady hand on my bare one and I felt like a sudden shock ran through my body. My body twitched uncontrollably and I automatically looked wide-eyed at Shannon. "What?"  
"You must be kidding me?" Annabeth muttered, wiping the soot from her face.  
"What?" Shannon asked again.  
Jason offered his hand up up to Shannon who loosely shook it. "It's nice to meet you, Daughter of Zeus."  
Thunder rolled through the sky, seeming to agree with Jason.

The Taxi Driver had fled along with the other people, leaving his Taxi behind for us to borrow. Steal technically.  
Annabeth was driving as she and Jason had spent ten minutes arguing over who drove until Annabeth brought out her fully official New York Driver's License. Jason took shot-gun and me and Shannon had the back seat to ourselves. Ever since we had left the gas station Shannon had been plagued with constant static shocks, unable to move in case she received another one. In total she had already been shocked fourteen times.  
"So you're my Brother?" Shannon asked, placing her chin against Jason's seat as she waited for an answer.  
"Half-Brother," Jason stated. "I'm not being rude it's just I already have a full sister, same Mom, nearly similar Dad."  
"Nearly similar Dad?"  
"Well, you know in history when the Roman's practically had control of all Greece?" Shannon nodded, I didn't. "The Greek Gods were taken by the Romans and changed for their own needs. In Olympian life, the Gods took to their new persona's and from time-to-time they change it up a bit, shifting to the Roman side. I was Fathered by Jupiter, Zeus's Roman persona, and sent to a Camp for Roman children miles away from here."  
"Is that the Camp on your shirt?" I asked, placing my head on Annabeth's seat, something she didn't like at all.  
"No, this is the Greek Camp." Jason explained and somehow I guessed that I would be wearing a similar orange shirt upon arrival. "Anyway, neither Camp knew the other existed and something big happened which almost caused a civil war and the rise of the Goddess of Earth. Afterwards a truce was formed and we now live in peace, sometimes joining up once in a while to compete in tournaments or just to hang out. So although my Dad was Jupiter, I found my allegiance moving towards Zeus and when given the chance to choose between the two, I choose the Greeks."  
"And our sister?"  
"Her name's Thalia, she is doing fine as far as I know. She travels with a far different crowd than Camp Half-Blood." Jason smiled, his blue eyes shining in the rear-view mirror as he was probably thinking of Thalia. I could also see Shannon's uneasiness, finding out who your Dad is and that you have half-siblings was quite an emotional ordeal.  
The rest of the drive went by quick and soon we were stopping outside of a large archway with the similar '**Camp Half-Blood**', that was on Jason's shirt, chisled into it. Beyond was a collection of white Greek buildings, rows of strawberry fields and a circular arrangement of tables, surrounding what appeared to be the a controllable fire-pit.  
"Wow." I gasped.  
"Welcome to your new home." Jason smiled, Annabeth even smirked a little as she left the car, rushing into the Camp. "Don't worry, its been a month since she saw her boyfriend, he spent it with his Family."  
I laughed at that and together, alongside my best-friend and her half-brother, we entered the camp-site.


	3. A Family Reunion All Round

3. A Family Reunion All Round

The first thing we did was be taken to large house, the biggest building within the Camp, where a pudgy man with red cheeks and nose was playing a game of chess against a Centaur.  
"And my Queen takes your Bishop." The pudgy man said gleefully, a smug smile on his face as if he had won the game altogether. The Centaur only chuckled. "Make your move Chiron."  
The Centaur, Chiron, eyed the board before bending down slightly and taking hold of his only Knight piece. He moved it slowly, drinking in the sudden look of dread in the other man's eyes. "Checkmate."  
"How is that possible?"  
"I've been playing this game since it was invented Dionysus, you've started playing it ten years ago." Chiron clopped a hoof against the wooden porch, his eyes lifting up to see the three of us standing there. "Jason!"  
Chiron and Jason acknowledged each other whilst Jason's attempt to be polite to Dionysus was swatted away as the older man simply replied back "It's Mr. D to you."  
"Chiron, these are the two Half-Bloods Annabeth was watching over." Jason pointed to us and Chiron's face lit up in a welcoming smile.  
"Aah, welcome girls, I'm sure you have been informed on why you are here?" he asked and we nodded in response, my eyes drifting down to his white horse body. "Good, here at Camp Half-Blood we shall protect you and train you against Monsters who mean to do you harm. There wasn't much trouble on the way here I hope."  
The three of us filled him and a listening Mr. D in on the incident with the Lamia and the Telekhines. "Lamia hasn't been seen for centuries, at least she has been stopped from devouring anymore people."  
"Lucky." Mr. D sarcastically said, pretending to read a newspaper he magically conjured up.  
"Plus one of the girls has already been claimed." Jason beamed. He placed a comforting hand on Shannon's shoulder at for the first time I was able to compare them both together. Both had the vibrant sky blue eyes, they sort of have the same nose but what was obvious was the serious expression that seemed to be permanently etched into their faces. "This is Shannon, she is a Daughter of Zeus."  
"Great, another Sister." Mr. D whined whilst Chiron looked upon the two siblings, his brow furrowed as he thought.  
"Well, I'm glad no harm has come to you my dear." He said. "But you possess very powerful talents, I'm sure you have found that out to be claimed by Zeus."  
"Huh?" Shannon blurted.  
"Zeus will never admit he has a child unless they are worthy to carry his name." Chiron explained. "Jason had to prove to us who he was before being claimed and his sister, Thalia, slew a Monster before it could kill another half-blood."  
"Like at the gas station," Jason butted in. "When you destroyed the Telekhines with your lightning, that thunder in the sky that sounded un-natural, that was our Dad claiming you."  
"Zeus was never one for theatrics." Chiron added. He turned his head towards me and a faint glimmer of intrigue sparkled in his eyes. "As for you, what is your name?"  
"Natalie."  
"Well Natalie, I hope that you too are claimed as it is quite known for some Gods not to claim their children." The Centaur bowed his head slightly like it was a painful thing to say. "But we're trying to fix that."  
"Why wouldn't anyone claim their child?" I asked.  
"Shame, pride or protection. Mainly the third one as a Half-Blood's scent becomes stronger when they become claimed. Many Gods wish to protect their children, keeping them far away from this world as possible. With a little help from the Mist."  
"The Mist?" Shannon said, the tone of confusement thick in her voice.  
Chiron then spent a good two hours explaining to me and Shannon everything to do with the Mist, the Camp, why Dionysus is the Camp Director, past problems, some dude named Kronos and he often name dropped Annabeth and another camper named Percy Jackson.  
He sounded like an idiot mostly the way Chiron described his antics.

The rest of the day went by smoothly. I had managed to talk to my Mom through an Iris-message, mainly a video-chat in a water spray. She had been scared at first, dropping the pile of books she was carrying around the room. I explained to her what happened at the bowling alley and she kind of fell silent, ashamed even by the way she looked to the ground.  
"I'm sorry Natalie." she said quietly.  
"What for?" I asked back, laughing slightly. "It's not your fault you fell in love with a God."  
She chuckled under her breath, shying away as if not to let me see it. "Your Father tried to warn me the dangers of having a half god child but I was young and I felt I was ready to start a family. I never wanted you to be put in harms way."  
"The fact is I wasn't attacked sooner is a good thing, you must have done something right." I attempted to lift up her spirits but failed as she just continued to apologise. When I realised I had been talking for a while I told her that I had to go and that I was staying at Camp.  
She didn't object.  
This seemed to put a downer on the rest of the day as I found myself alone, since Shannon had been whisked away by Jason, not knowing what any of the buildings were, accidentally walking into the forges and having my eyebrows almost burnt off and ultimately praying that something good would happen.  
"Natalie?" Annabeth's voice jolted my attention as I sat on the stairs of a random Cabin. My blonde teacher's assistant stood in the doorway, her hair slightly messed up and her cheeks flushed. Obviously someone had just taken part in a heavy make-out session. "What are you doing here?"  
"I was on my own and no one was available to take me on a tour, well Mr. D was but I didn't want him too." I explained, sighing at the end and looking off towards the vast amount of Campers running around the place.  
"Do you want me to take you on one?" she offered and I looked up at her, blinking twice in confusement.  
"I don't want to take up your time with your Boyfriend."  
"One, don't ever listen to anyone else when it comes to my love life, especially Jason." She said, lifting a finger in a teacher-like style. "And two, my boyfriend can join us since he has just moaned for the last twenty minutes how boring it is to stay in his bed all day."  
A grumbling moan came from inside the Cabin which shortly turned too snickering. I tried to look past Annabeth to see who was inside but all she did was lean on the doorway and roll her eyes every time the guy inside did something stupid.  
"Are you done yet Seaweed Brain?"  
"Shut up Wise Girl!" Seaweed Brain replied. It wasn't exactly awkward to stand there, in fact it was entertaining.  
"How old are you anyway?" Looking up, I realised Annabeth was looking down at me. She waited for an answer as I soon realised I was meant to giver her one.  
"Seventeen, you?"  
"I turn Twenty in two weeks." Annabeth seemed to grimace at that. A moment or two passed and quickly, on her heels, Annabeth turned back into the Cabin. "Are you ready yet?"  
As if on cue, a boy slightly taller than Annabeth with black hair and green eyes stepped out. He too was wearing an orange t-shirt and a necklace of multi-coloured beads, similar to the one Annabeth was wearing, except her's had more beads. This guy was preposterously handsome with a surfer's tan and an overall attractive face. If I had to compare Jason and this guy on looks, I couldn't give you a winner as they both had different features that gave them bonus points. It also didn't help that this guy had an athletic build, smaller than Jason's but still fit.  
"Hi, I'm Percy Jackson, Son of Poseidon." he offered his hand and I shook it, hiding the fact I was gawking. Don't get me round he was God-Level attractive but I just wasn't into him, if you know what I mean.  
"Natalie Hunt, I've just met your cousin."  
"Which one?" he asked, seeming amused that I said something not on the lines of 'Daughter of Athena' or something like that. "What I mean is who?"  
"My friend Shannon O'Riley, she's a Daughter of Zeus." Percy's face morphed into one of fear yet happy at the same time. "Are you OK?"  
"Yeah, just, the numbers are growing bigger." He then muttered something in Annabeth's ear about being down 'three to one'. "So, shall we take you on this tour?"  
"Yes!" I said eagerly, regretting it soon after.  
"Great, let the Savior of the Olympus show you around the Cabins first." Annabeth pinched the bridge of her nose whilst I realised who Percy Jackson was, he was the idiot Chiron described.

* * *

**[Shannon]  
**

I think the expression running through my mind when Jason showed me the Cabin I would be sleeping in was '_It looks like an overcompensation_'.  
"So, what do you think?" My new Brother asked, standing in front of the bronze doors.  
"It's big." I said, wincing slightly as I looked at the dorm roof. "It's very big."  
"Yeah, Father wants to make sure his Leadership is well known." Jason explained, looking rather fondly at the other Cabins nearby.  
He opened the door with ease and signaled for me to follow him inside. It was what I expected for the Children of Zeus, golden eagles in the decor, a large statue of Zeus placed in the centre of the room and an overall chilly temperature, as if a constant breeze was passing through it. I could easily tell which Bed was Jason's as it was un-made and surrounded by large shirts and an array of items which seemed to fit his personality.  
I opted for a bed on the other side of the room.  
"It's weird at first but you'll get used to it." Jason explained.  
Me and Jason spent the best part of the day just talking, mainly about our Dad and Camp Half-Blood. It was entertaining and very much something I wasn't expecting when it came to talking to a half-brother. It was really amazing when he began telling the story about the last adventure he went on. Where he and several other demi-gods spent almost three months fighting an Earth Goddess and her Giant children, all whilst a war between the Greek half-bloods and the Roman half-bloods was on the verge of breaking out.  
Jason was rather creative in the way he described certain events like his quest to rescue Hera, who apparently is not a nice person, how they closed the Doors of Death and how they ultimately defeated Gaia. He even gripped his sword and swatted it around childishly.  
"Look at the time, we're supposed to be at the dining pavilion in five minutes." Jason jumped off his bed, rushing round and throwing his shirts off and replacing it with an identical one. He then grabbed another one and used his sword to cut some of the material off the bottom. "This ones for you."  
I took it and swapped my tatted vest, which was ripped thanks to Lamia's claws, and put on the orange shirt. It barely fitted over my stomach as Jason had cut it to short but I managed to fix it by tucking it into my jeans. Jason chuckled at the sight of me but I pushed him aside, making for the door.  
The sky was practically dark and the Camp was lit up by torches darted around the place. Jason followed me, closing the door as he did. "C'mon, you're going to love the others."  
The Dining pavilion was bustling with campers of all ages, some even looked younger than eight. The amount of tables surrounding the actual fire was uncountable and I noticed quickly that some tables only had a couple of campers on it. Jason must have noticed me staring as he began to explain the rules about dinner.  
"Each Cabin has a table, in respects to our Parents. Some Cabins have to split into multiple groups due to the numbers, mainly Cabin Eleven, children of Hermes." Jason pointed over to the three groups of blonde children with sharp features accompanied by other children. Natalie was amongst them, looking lost and partly scared. "When a Half-Blood isn't claimed, they are forced to bunk up with Cabin Eleven, due to Hermes personality and meaning. The only two rules there is for dinner is that you must always sit with your Cabin, no sitting with other people unless it is important. The second being you must always make an offering to the Gods before you leave, leave some juicy scraps to the side of your plate and chuck it in the fire."  
I exhaled a long breath, I wasn't one for the rules. I was ready to walk in when I received another electric shock when I barely touched my bronze bracelet, Jason smirked at this. "You still having shocks?"  
"Yeah, I didn't get them until this morning."  
"Maybe it was your heritage, trying to warn you about Lamia." he shrugged, his muscles stretching against his shirt. I was glad that I have fit family members, what was the point of having a God for a Dad if I wasn't graced with bad-lookers with an even worst personality. Bit vein, sue me. "C'mon let's go in."  
Sitting across from Jason was almost like a huge spotlight on me. Everyone had heard about the new Daughter of Zeus amongst the Campers and they were all judging me before I even sat down. I managed to wave at Natalie who barely smiled back when a Hermes Camper made his food blow up. The fire in the pit was glowing heavenly and big, portraying everyone's ease and comfort although it did flicker when I caught someone staring at me.  
The food was alright, nothing special, and I had somehow swore a vengeance against my cup which kept giving me electric shocks. Jason was basically weeing on his seat he was laughing that much. Sometimes I would yelp, gaining more focus on me than I wanted. I thanked many forms of gods when Chiron and Mr. D interrupted the meal so that they could talk.  
It was like a weekly updates, Chiron explaining the events of the past week, also adding how maiming of any kind was against the Camp rules. Everyone one unknowingly turned to face the table filled with rough looking teens, all had thick body frames and out of them all none of them were what could be called good-looking. The last things Chiron spoke about consisted off the forest sill being out of bounds, due to the Cabins of Apollo and Ares conflict, activities would carry on as normal and that the Cabins were going to be inspected during the week.  
"Here we go." Jason pinched my arm, grabbing my attention as I was still focused on Chiron. I looked at him confused but I soon realised what he meant when he picked up his plate. "Wait until we're told to walk up."  
"And now we shall end with the honour to the Gods, starting with Cabin One." Chiron waved over to us whilst Mr. D rolled his eyes.  
I followed Jason's lead as we walked to the fire-pit. He stopped at the edge, said something under his breath that sounded like a prayer before tipping the scraps on his plate in the flames. A small breeze passed through the Pavilion. My Brother stepped aside, leaving me by myself as I held my plate with mostly untouched food on it.  
I looked in the fire before an instinct told me to look at the sky. "Hi Dad, I've only just found out who you are. What's going on up there in Olympus?"  
No reply.  
"Anyway, I'm glad I at least know who you are, even if you didn't visit me or my Mum. But I just want to ask that if you could help find my friend Natalie's Dad and have him claim her then I would ... well I don't know what I'd do but I would be very grateful." I whispered, shutting my eyes tight and ... I had no idea what I was doing. Letting my hands tilt, the food from my plate fell into the fire, sizzling as they burnt.  
There was no breeze or thunderous sound, instead there was silence. I turned my back on the pit, clinging onto the plate. I was maybe ten steps towards my table where Jason sat, looking sympathetic, when I noticed something different. A breeze stirred within the wind, twirling through the tables as it grew in strength until it was rushing around, the force similar to a gale storm. My hair flopped in the change in weather as everyone held onto something steady. The fire twirled as ashes flew into the air, the smell of burning food and air fresheners. Then the wind died down.  
A chorus of gasps filled the Dining Pavilion. I saw the slight shock in Jason's eyes and turned my body, following his gaze. I was soon as speechless as everyone else.  
Floating above the table of the Hermes Cabin was a glowing green trident, the obvious sign of Poseidon. But the shocking factor was who it was above. Natalie sat there, not even noticing what was happening. When she finally did, some guy had already move to stand by her side. They smiled at each other as if they already knew one another.  
"Oh my Gods ..." I trailed off, still slightly shocked at finding out that my best-friend was my cousin the whole time.  
Chiron stood up once again. "Percy, would you please help Natalie move into Cabin Three?"  
"Yes Chiron." The lad standing beside Natalie smiled. "It's not everyday I find I have a Sister."  
Natalie turned to face me and we simultaneously started laughing.  
"Welcome to the Family!" We both yelled at each other.


	4. I Can Make Killer Bubbles

4. I Can Make Killer Bubbles

**[Natalie]**

"C'mon Natz, swing the sword more." Shannon pressured me, pressing her weight on my rusty training sword with her own. "You're going to lose again."  
A week after the eventful day where I found out I was the Daughter of the Sea God and that my best-friend was actually my cousin, being the Daughter of the God of Thunder, I found myself being pushed into extra lessons. Today was no difference as since seven in the morning I had been put through several training battles, all of which I had lost. Shannon on the other hand managed to win all but one of hers.  
Pushing up with the little strength I had in me I managed to force Shannon a couple of steps back as I swiped for her chest-plate. The tip scratched it barely as with lightning reflexes Shannon had blocked my last swing before ripping the sword out of my own hand, throwing it to the floor behind her. Her sword was nipping at my neck.  
"I win." an around of applause erupted from the seating area of the training ground. Not many people were there but Jason, Percy, Annabeth and their close friends were. As Shannon drunk in the victory, I managed to shift away from her sword and walk towards the group. I didn't even lift my head up as I passed Percy, not knowing what he was thinking of his useless Sister.  
"Don't get cocky Shazza." Jason howled at her. "Let's get you another opponent."  
Feeling a pair of eyes looking at me, I slowly lifted my head to see Annabeth's steel grey eyes locked with mine. Somehow she had moved next to me without me noticing and this time she was smiling, not a full one but a noticeable one.  
"I know why you are sad." She said.  
"Doesn't that come with the title of being a Daughter of Athena?"  
"Not all the time." A snort interupted us, coming from the direction of Percy who was pretending to look at the fight below when we could tell he was listening in on us. "But not everyone is cut for fighting, you don't see any of Mr. D's children here do you? No, because they aren't fighters. They are protectors and moderate healers."  
"How am I going to protect myself from all these Monsters, who will probably now know I'm a child of Poseidon, let alone Sister to the 'Savior of the World' over there?" I asked, hoping for an answer to raise my already deflated spirit.  
"Easy!" the voice of a perky Hephaestus Camper interupted us. Leo Valdez literally jumped in the middle of me and Annabeth, ignoring the fact that his tools on his belt were poking into my leg. "You set up traps at home."  
"Traps?"  
"Yeah, like the trip wire connected to a javelin shooter," he laughed, his hair and pointy ears seeming to laugh with him. "Or the Incinerator Four-Thousand, one press of a button and any Monster will be ashes in five seconds or less. My personal favourite."  
"Be quiet Leo." Annabeth snickered. Leo shrugged, standing up whilst looking immensely proud with himself. "Anyway, maybe you're not a fighter. Maybe you're something better."  
Another wave of applause caught my attention and it seemed Shannon had beaten her new opponent. My hand tightened around the handle of my sword, feeling a slight tugging sensation within my gut. I dropped the bronze weapon to the floor.  
Percy chose this as the time to turn around and look at me, he nodded towards Annabeth who shuffled away to talk too a girl who was insanely pretty and a rather large boy who you could tell straight away he was a son of Ares.  
"Hey." Percy smiled, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. "I don't know how to deal with this. I'm not good when it comes to girls."  
"That's true!" Annabeth shouted, earning a laugh from us all.  
"But, you are good with a sword. You know how to use one and honestly I was the same when I first arrived. It was only when I needed it the most did I sort of become good." Percy tried to comfort me but it overall failed. He must have known from my expression but he never let his smile faltered. "Natz, if you ever need some peace or help of some kind, head down to the water. Believe me it helps."  
"I'll try." I smiled back at him and he ruffled my black hair which was the identical shade as his own. My skin was slightly paler than Percy's but it could still be classed as tanned whilst our green eyes were very similar apart from the fact that in certain lights my eyes were hard to tell if they were green or blue. Since in sunlight they were green I had decided that they were officially green.  
Hours past by and me and Shannon had sort of been accepted into Percy's friendship group.  
We shortly found out that Frank and Hazel, the Ares looking guy and a small coloured skin girl, were also apart of the Roman Camp Jason was in. After the final battle with Gaia, Hazel and Frank had decided to switch to their Greek sides as Hazel was forced to leave the Roman Camp due to some asswipe named Octavian who had convinced it was her fault that dead spirits had attacked their Camp. Both her and her Brother, Nico, were ran out of New Rome until Athena, in her Roman form Minerva, intervened. She convinced Octavian to reduce the initial sentence of Death to banishment, being so young, Athena granted her the chance to swap sides. She did. Frank, who is her boyfriend, couldn't leave her side and since Athena knew off this she felt it was the wisest option to also give him a chance to swap sides. He did without a thought.  
The entire tale enthralled me whilst Shannon had to have Annabeth prove certain things such as Athena turning up in a form she despised, Octavian letting off Hazel so easily after a well detailed description of him and also that there even was a person called Nico. Annabeth didn't say anything when both Percy and Jason laughed, barely commenting on how Nico was definitely a real person.  
Apparently they have had an history with the recently turned sixteen year old.  
"So where is he?" I asked.  
"Don't know." Hazel simply said. "We were back at Camp for a year when Chiron and some hooded figure pulled him out of a training lesson. Chiron later told us he was assigned a very special quest, one he couldn't go into detail about."  
Percy looked slightly saddened by this but still held his cheerful persona. "It's been almost eight months since he left, we've only had one Iris-Message and that was for Hazel's birthday."  
"Yeah, he forgot mine." Leo joked.  
"Or he was unable to send a message for it?" Frank stated, receiving a sharp elbow in the stomach from Hazel. "I didn't mean he was de- Ow!"  
"He could be out of drachma?" Piper Mclean, Daughter of Aphrodite and Girlfriend to Jason Grace offered. "I hope."  
"He is alive." Percy said in a tone that could only be described as unarguably stern. "And he will come back."

Night came quicker than I hoped and soon enough we were forced to call lights out in the Cabins. It was ironic how Percy, who was the Counselor of Cabin Three, was just as reluctant to go to bed as I was.  
He was wide awake and sitting on his bed, thoughts running through his head as his hand casually played with a Minotaur horn hanging above his bed. I briefly took glances at him as I read into one of my books, trying so hard to get myself to sleep.  
Percy gave me a quick warning that he was ready to turn off the lights, I sorted out my stuff before getting myself under the covers and facing the window beside me. The lights went out and the only thing I could see was the moonlight Campsite outside. Percy shuffled in his bed and it must have been fifteen minutes of stand-still between us, waiting for the other to fall asleep. Eventually I won out as Percy's snores filled the silent Cabin.  
The conversation between me and Percy rang through my mind, particularly the part about the water. I had so many unanswered questions and if there was a time I needed help, now was the time. Sneaking out of my bed I grabbed a nearby swimming bag full of my water gear, mainly a bikini top and an old pair of denim shorts and walked out the door. Looking round for the security Harpies and seeing none I dashed for the coastline, clutching onto my bag as it grew closer and closer.  
As the sea came closer I slowed down until my feet were submerged in the water. My body reacted in a way I didn't expect. I sort of felt stronger, none of my muscles were aching and it was almost like a wave of confidence had fueled through my veins. I understood why Percy had told me this would help because by the Gods it felt amazing than a spa therapy day.  
"Oh my Gods!" I sighed, twiddling my toes and filling the sand between them. Flashbacks of my Mother taking me to the beach on our rare holidays popped into my mind; I didn't go in the water as much since it was often crowded and I wasn't a people person. "Holy Poseidon this feels good."  
"Why thank you." A voice scared me, making me shriek quietly as I jumped out of the water.  
"What is wrong with you?!" I yelled at the guy standing behind me. He was some forty year old dude wearing a Hawaiian patterned shirt and bermuda shorts as if he was on the beach all day, everyday. He had a neatly trimmed beard and the only sight of wrinkles showed that he liked to smile or laugh a lot. "You could have scared me half to death."  
"We don't want that now." the guy smiled. It was only then, when I saw his eyes light up, did I realise who was in front of me with his black hair, tanned skin and an overall familiarity him. "Hello Natalie."  
"Dad?" he nodded. "What are you doing here?"  
He kept on with the smile, despite my refusal to say 'Hi' back. "I have a message to deliver."  
"OK?"  
"You don't sound please to see me?" He said, although it was more of a question as he stepped closer towards me, letting his sandal covered feet touch the water. I didn't dare answer, for years I had planned what I would say to my Father if I ever saw him. That was before I found out he was a God. The rant often consisted of 'How could you leave us?', 'What has taken you so long to visit me?' and 'Why should I ever forgive you and let you back into my life?'.  
"I'm not sure what to think off this situation." I admitted.  
"I understand." he sighed. "You know, I think you have taken most of the looks from your Mother's side."  
I didn't answer, instead I crossed my arms, ignoring the fact I was standing in front of my Olympian Father in only my pink pyjamas with a cat on the front.  
"I am sorry that I wasn't there for you, that's all I can say. I didn't visit Percy this early after I claimed him. But I believe this was important, for the greater good and overall sake of Olympus." He sounded serious, his voice resonating with a slow and steady rise of power, like the oncoming hurricane.  
"That does sound serious." I said to him, watching as he bent done and dipping his fingers into the water. "What do you mean by the sake of Olympus?"  
"Something is coming Natalie, the Gods on Olympus have sensed it ever since Gaia went quiet. I risk a lot by telling you this but so are some of the others, they too are warning their children, away from Zeus's watch."  
"What has Zeus got to do with it?"  
"He senses something different to the rest of us, he believes I have convinced all of Olympus to overthrow him, again. He also knows that Percy is the greatest child of mine within the western civilization and that I would entrust him with information to prove my betrayal." Poseidon shook his head. "I hate to burden you with this but it needs to be told. Be prepared."  
"What?!"

"NATALIE!"  
"Aah!" I woke up, surging forward and headbutting Percy in the face. We both yelled in pain as he landed back on my pillow and he fell to the floor, clutching his forehead. "What in Hades were you doing Percy?"  
"You were muttering in your sleep which I thought was funny at first but then you started to panic so I decided to wake you up." Percy explained, standing up off the floor but still rubbing his nose which must have stung cause he immediately pulled it away. "Are you alright?"  
The dream was as vivid in my mind as Percy was standing in front of me. I thought on how I should tell him about the dream but then I realised if I told Percy what our Dad had said then Zeus may find out, being that he has a constant eye on Percy now. "I'm fine, just nightmares."  
"Nightmares aren't good for Half-Bloods, often they are dangerous." he explained but I told him once again I was fine before throwing off the covers and getting dressed. Percy left as I stripped off my pyjamas, replacing them with a camp shirt, denim shorts and black converse. It wasn't my first choice of clothing but they were comfy enough.  
Soon enough I was going through the daily routine of me getting my ass kicked and becoming embarrassed when I failed in almost anything. Archery, I shot someone in the toe, sword-training, I was beaten four out of four times and horse-riding, despite being able to communicate with them I couldn't even saddle one without them kicking me off and laughing at me.  
If it wasn't for Percy telling them to be quiet I would have kicked one in the leg.  
It must have been around one in the afternoon when I was sat outside the Big House, regretting every thought I had that this place would be good. I considered risking my life trying to treck back home. I wanted my Mother's half bad cooking and my own bed, somehow the one in Cabin Three doesn't feel like mine.  
I didn't belong here.  
"Hello."  
I turned round, facing the open door of the Big House where inside the doorway stood a tall girl with red curly hair. She held onto an iPad which was purple and instead of a apple logo it had the Omega symbol, like the ones that were on the bowling alley shoes. I thought it was funny how I hadn't noticed anything before.  
"Hi." I replied, turning my head so I was facing the camp grounds. I was hoping it would be a fleeting moment of awkward running into people but it turned out she was as persistent as Percy was.  
"You not joining in with the others?" she asked, walking forwards until she was in my view.  
"No, I've found out I am naturally useless at everything here." I moaned, resting my head on my hands .  
"Really?" she blinked. "Whose your parent?"  
"Poseidon."  
"Oh your Seaweed Brain's Sister?"  
Looking up at her, she had a nice smile on her face which seemed to match the line of freckles crossing over the bridge of her nose. "You mean Percy?"  
She nodded. "Yeah, I'm Natalie."  
"Rachel, Rachel Elizabeth Dare. If your Percy's Sister, how come you aren't with him?"  
"He has to teach some of the younger Campers, meaning I'm left to the normal activities." At that time an eruption of cheers roared from the amphitheater, no doubt over someone's victory. "A week and nothing I do seems to be my specialty. My cousin has sword-work, Leo has forging, Annabeth is smart whilst i'm just good at getting in the way, literally Shannon used me as a shield yesterday during a doubles tournament."  
"So there is literally nothing you are good at? That's a first." I rolled my eyes at this, mentally screaming at her too move away. "I'm just saying. Have you done anything water-based."  
"No." I shook my head.  
Rachel smiled, preparing to say something but was cut off violently when Chiron and five other Campers raced out of the Big House, the Centaur galloping over me and Rachel. "Chiron what's wrong?"  
The Centaur turned to us, his face was similar to that of a General in the middle of a battle. But his eyes shone fear as if he was worried about something.  
"There is a Monster within the forest!" He shouted, alerting some of the surrounding Half-Bloods who split up, telling whoever they could. Chiron turned back to us, picking up a longsword and tightening the leather strap connected to a quiver of arrows and bow. "We need to hurry, the Nymph that told us about the threat also told us that this Monster is chasing after a boy!"

* * *

**[Percy]**

I was watching the Campers do their best with the practice swords, which were technically thick chunks of wood. My favourite pairing were just about to finalise their fight when Annabeth and Piper came running into the field, both wearing bronze chest-plates and armed with their daggers.  
"Percy!" Annabeth cried out, her blonde hair once again tied in a ponytail so no strands were in her face. Piper on the other hand looked like she had just gotten out of the shower. "We've got Monster action!"  
"Leave it, the barrier will solve it." I waved them off, turning back to my students to see them all standing still.  
"No, its in the Forest, chasing after someone." Annabeth gripped my arm, already going through my pockets for Riptide. "Chiron is already setting up a barrier but it looks like its coming straight for the Camp."  
"Lead the way then!"  
We left the students near Thalia's Tree as the three of us sped off towards the Forest line. I could already see the Ares Cabin in the distance creating four barriers with only shields and spears. The Athena Cabin was preparing themselves for an oncoming fight. Annabeth shortly explained that the Monster was big, not something a small group could fight.  
"Chiron!" I called, watching as my mentor galloped to the front-line.  
"Percy, we need you and your group to stay behind. Only advance if you feel like the Monster is overbearing for the others." He simply stated before being called off by another Camper.  
My group, as Chiron had called it, was me, Annabeth, Leo, Piper, Jason, Frank, Hazel and Nico and Reyna whenever they were with us. However due to recent events, I had decided to add Shannon too it as well. I had wanted Natalie with us as well but Chiron and Annabeth were reluctant to allow it as she had not shown any real skill or talent to be amongst a priority group. I had to give in but made Chiron promise that of Natalie showed any promise then she would automatically join.  
Right now was not the time to worry about that as for some reason a cold chill spread across my body, a bad omen to come was the first thing that popped into my mind.  
"Guys!" Jason yelled as he, Shannon, Frank, Leo and Hazel joined the rest of us. "We holding back or forward charge?"  
"Depends on the creature, all we know is that its big." Annabeth explained, huddling the others into a circle and going through possible plans. I happen to know them all as Annabeth had spent four months teaching them all to me so that I would be able to describe them when she named them.  
I was looking upon the forest line, hoping to see traces of movement when my eyes suddenly locked onto another pair. They gleamed blood red, like they were forever bathing in the blood of fallen enemies, as their owner hid into the shadows off the trees. I had a feeling in my gut that I had seen these eyes before but no way would I forget seeing these. My legs felt a desire to walk forward as my mind went blank, only focusing on the crimson eyes.  
I don't what I would have done as my view of the eyes were cut off as a rather confused and scared looking Natalie was pushed away from picking up a spear. Shaking my head, I jogged forward quickly and placing my hand on her arm. She jumped slightly but as soon as she saw it was me she softened.  
"Natalie, what's wrong?" I asked.  
"I feel lost."  
"The battlefield is no place for being lost, come with me and stay behind our group." I explained, guiding back up the hill. She soon found Shannon who gave her a one armed hug before saying something on the same lines of what I said. The circle opened up for me. "So what's our plans?"  
"Run and stab." Annabeth cut it short and too the point. I smiled at her, finding his entertaining seeing her serious and in battle mode. I should be in the same frame of mind but it was like being with her I had to be the conflicting factor, trying to always outmatch her.  
"We've got action!" came the burly voice of someone from the Ares Cabin pointing at the tips of the trees which were swaying and rustling. People raced into position, kneeling behind the barricades or standing in ready formations. It was quite a sight to see.  
My group were prepared, armed with their weapons and stood in a line, watching the forest line. What surprised us the most was what came out of the forest first. A ball of fire whizzed out of the darkness, flying over the barricades and landing onto empty grass. Another quickly followed but this time half hitting a tree and setting it on fire. Some of the Nereid's watching shrieked in horror. A third and fourth ball came next but this time hitting a barricade straight on, burning some of the Athena children.  
As the injured were escorted away, a roar or seven filled the air as something different broke through the tree line. A boy, no older than eighteen burst from out of the darkness and continued to ran straight into our defenses. His clothes were ruined, rips in the shape of claw marks and blood staining them. At first I would have said he was quite chunky but then I realised the pink bulbous stomach was in fact something covered in a baby blanket.  
"Liam?" Shannon and Natalie chimed behind me, sounding confused and mainly on Natalie's part, slightly scared. Fire balls kept on flying out, aiming for wherever the boy, Liam, was running from. He was past the second barricade when the tree's in front of us were torn apart by a ginormous creature with reptilian skin and seven golden snake heads swaying around each other. Small smoke trails drifted up form their nostrils. I knew what this Monster was, I had faced it two times before. This was a Hydra.  
It hissed, all seven heads looking upon the Campers before it. Chiron took two steady steps back, shaking his head in disbelief. "Impossible."  
"This is bad." Annabeth muttered.  
"Why?" I asked her. "We've beaten it twice before."  
"No we haven't!" she harshly snapped, punching me in the arm.  
The Hydra seemed to smile before roaring, two of its heads blowing out fire from its mouths. That was new.  
It surged forwards, the two fire heads bearing down on the barricades. On Chiron's mark, the Apollo Campers let loose a volley of arrows, hitting the body mainly but one eventually landed in the eye of a head on its left side, killing it and letting it crash to the ground. The other six carried on without it.  
It tore apart the barricades as if they were nothing, forcing the Ares and Athena Campers to charge it head on. They narrowly missed the pillars of fire raining down on them and focused more on the snapping mouths of the other heads. An Ares Camper made the unfortunate mistake of cutting a head clean off, taking it as a small victory before he realised that by cutting off a Hydra's head, two more will grow back. The new heads worked together in throwing him into a tree.  
"Get ready guys." I told the others and they all nodded, except Annabeth who looked uneasy. Clicking Riptide and making it grow to the full size of the sword, I raised it into the air and began the charge. The Campers already around it had been thrown away and dwindled down to the last few. All the while one of the heads was focused on Liam who had now reached the Chiron and forcing him to take hold of the pink blanket.  
"Jason, Shannon, can you zap that thing?" Annabeth asked, running alongside me, her dagger glowing in the sun. I saw panic run over Shannon's face until Jason replied with a yes and pulled a face I know means trouble. The sky rumbled as clouds formed up above. Leo managed to distract the Hydra by using a couple of Greek Fire Grenades from his belt, scorching two of the heads and killing them. Thunder rained through the sky and eventually a bolt of lighting, following Jason's command, shot down upon the Hydra, destroying the dead heads completely but angering the living ones even more.  
"Duck!" I called as the fire heads flared up their mouths. Splitting up, Annabeth and Piper sliced their knives down the length of the body, making the Hydra whine in pain. Frank and Hazel followed their lead but this time aiming for the back legs, crippling it.  
The heads all swooped down to our level, trying to grab us off our feet. One almost hit Shannon but using her rusty blade, she stabbed it through the head, its eyes rolling back as it died.  
"Alright Shannon!" I yelled, raising my fist in a cheesy sort of way.  
"Look out Percy!" I saw Piper call, her knife digging into the Hydra's body. Turning round, I saw that one of the heads had stretched round and was glaring at me with its yellow teeth all on show. Its breath smelt like rotten fish and I almost gagged. I took a couple a swings with my sword but the head bit onto it and threw it away. I knew it would come back to my pocket but for how long was unknown. It opened its jaws, ready for the kill when two gleaming bronze swords jerked through its eyes.  
Looking underneath, the Liam boy held onto two full sized swords and using his leg to kick the head off him as he pulled them out. Brandishing them as if he knew how to fight, I gave him a nod and a smirk whilst he sort of half-smiled at me, his eyes burning with hate as he focused on the other two remaining heads.  
Dodging another swipe, I landed against Annabeth's back. "Why don't we have a federal warship like last time?"  
"Because Ares hates you that's why?" Annabeth struggled to shout. We were almost hit by the Hydra's tail when a fast moving Frank and Liam cut it off. I was completely stunned by the skills Liam was showing off, it was almost like he had been training his whole life. Maybe he was from the Roman Camp. "Who is he?"  
"No idea!"

* * *

**[Natalie]**

I watched helplessly from the sidelines as the group of people I had managed to befriend were fighting what used to be a seven headed Monster. I was just a shocked as Shannon was when the boy being chased by the Hydra was in fact Liam, our friend from Brookside.  
The group was fighting the Hydra away from the Camp, heading mainly for the beach which I knew would be Percy's chance to end the fight. I was yelling support for them, jumping up and down like a four year old when accidentally one of my shouts caught Percy's attention and he was hit backwards by a Hydra head, his body slamming into a rock on the beach. The others were too busy dealing with the other one to notice the looming head about to singe my Brother. My gut trembled as if it was telling me something, my feet eager to move as I just couldn't stay still. Letting out a loose sigh, I let my body take control as it rushed forward, picking up Percy's sword which had landed straight into the direction of where I was heading.  
The head was so close I could see its fire lighting up Percy's face. He was struggling to move either from the pain or he wasn't awake, I could not tell. Closing my eyes, I could hear the ocean beside him as if it was calling to me. In a moment of blind panic and utter madness, I swung the sword in my hand and brought it down against the Hydra's head. The beast whined as I slashed open an eye and placing myself in between my Brother and the Monster.  
"Natalie." Percy muttered.  
"Yeah, its me." A hissing noise interupted me as the Hydra head returned to normal, glaring at me now with only one eye. It opened its mouth, fire building up and warming up my face. Raising my hands up pathetically to protect myself, I felt like I was going to throw up as the heat became unbearable. Then it stopped.  
The warmth was replaced with a cool and comforting feeling. Opening my eyes slightly, I gasped at the sight of tentacles of water attacking the Hydra head, wrapping around it like a giant bubble. It tried to break fire to escape but it was pointless. Then the tentacles attacked the other one, fully consuming the Hydra in a bubble of water. My stomach fluttered madly at the sight, wondering whether I should laugh or throw up.  
Looking round, I was about to thank someone when I realised all the others were staring at the bubble and Percy was stone cold knocked out. Then I felt it, the feeling I had during the dream. The feeling off being amongst the water, especially when my Dad was in it with me. I was creating the bubble.  
Soon the Hydra stopped squirming and I lowered my hand, only realising it was still up. The bubble broke and the Hydra's body crashed to the sand, dead.  
"Natalie?" Shannon smiled, surprised and beaming a proud look at me. She can zap people to dust, I can drown them in a bubble, we were best friends for life. "Wow!" Leo laughed. "How did you do that and may I copy it into my machines?"  
Piper slapped him round the head before rushing to help Percy who was muttering something about blue cheeseburgers and milkshake, also blue. Annabeth helped her carry Percy up to the Big House. The others followed apart from me, Shannon and Liam, who stabbed his two swords into the sand.  
"So I suspect you two have a lot of questions?" he said.  
We nodded and I could tell Shannon was going to say something sarcastic when Liam cut her off.  
"Well, can we first get inside. I have a _long_ story to tell."


	5. Babysitters United

5. Babysitters United

Whilst the injured were taken care off within the Big House, me and Shannon had led Liam into one of the guest bedrooms. He fell onto the bed at mere sight off it, groaning in delight as he stretched his tired looking body.  
There was a knock at the door before either of us could ask him anything. On the other side was a scratched up Jason and Annabeth who was holding a spare set of clothes. At first glance they appeared to fit Percy which would be slightly small for Liam's bigger build.  
"We brought these for him." Jason nodded to Liam who gently took the clothes off Annabeth, not even looking into her interrogating eyes. "And also to ask him a few questions."  
"That's what we were doing." Shannon said.  
Liam swallowed, probably feeling slightly unwelcome. He couldn't really blame us though, he did lead a Hydra straight into the Camp. Removing his torn shirt and pants, he quickly put on the new clothes, tugging on his tight orange shirt as he sat down. I sniggered at the fact his shirt rose up his back whenever he leant over.  
"First, I'm sorry about all the people who got injured because of me." Liam said but Jason and Annabeth cut him off with a chuckle. Well mostly Jason but Annabeth blinked twice, after spending most of the week with her I placed that down to her version of laughing around new people.  
"Don't worry about it, you were in danger. It wouldn't be the first time we have risked our lives to save another half-blood." Jason explained, reaching out his hand for Liam to shake. "Name's Jason."  
"Liam and I am not a half-blood." Liam shook his hand although Jason's end was limp as he was confused just like the rest of us.  
"Of course you are half-blood, why would the Lernean Hydra be chasing after you in the first place?" Annabeth asked, folding her arms like a teacher waiting for an answer. "In fact why is the Lernean Hydra even alive?"  
"You know why Annabeth, Monsters are never truly killed." I looked at her in disbelief. "You taught me that."  
"Yes I know but the Lernean is a different case."  
"How so?" Shannon and Jason asked at the same time. I swear if they kept up with that I may start calling them twins.  
"The Lernean Hydra was the Monster Heracles had to defeat in his twelve tasks. Throughout history the Lernean Hydra was often confused as THE Hydra, completely different Monsters and in time the Lernean Hydra faded away." Annabeth explained, having a look on her face that told us to take her seriously. "Once a Monster fades away they can never return. Same with a God. So why in Hades was that Monster here."  
Everyone was silent. "No idea."  
"Well anyway," Liam blinked. "For the last five years I have been living with my Sister and her Husband who was a son of Apollo. Since Monsters was a common occurrence for these two they had to tell me about Olympus and the Gods."  
"But what about the fighting?" Jason asked. "Those were decent skills with a sword, scratch that, two swords."  
"My Brother-in-law decided to train me in the basics, since Monsters were always attracted to our home. He hid weapons all around the place but my favourite was the five swords he hid behind the sofa." Liam explained, his face going blank for a few seconds. "Anyway things got to rough and I had to come here."  
"But you're safe from all of this. All you have to do is live with your parents or something." Annabeth added.  
"I can't, I'm an Orphan." Liam shrugged. "My parents died when I was two and I lived in an orphanage for ten years until my social worker found my Sister."  
"I didn't know that." I said, suddenly feeling very bad in myself for letting him confess that. "Why didn't you tell us?"  
"It wasn't important."  
"But how did you get through the Barrier, it stops anything not a Half-Blood from passing through it?" Shannon asked, still looking uneasily at Liam.  
"With this." He pulled at a black thread around his neck, something I didn't notice before. From under his collar out popped an oval blue jewel with cracks on it. "One of my Brother-in-law's treasures from his only quest. He found it in a gutter of all places." he laughed before dropping it back under his shirt. "It allows me to see through the misty thing and practically makes me a Half-Blood to Monsters and obviously this Camp."  
"I've never seen anything like that." Annabeth gawked at it as it disappeared, shaking her head. "How does it even work?"  
"No idea." Liam then turned to me, switching his focus between me and Shannon. "So when were either of you gonna tell me about your godly parents?"

* * *

**[Percy]**

Waking up in the Big House was nothing new, in fact that is what happened on my first day in Camp Half-Blood.  
But this time was different. Waking up two days later to find no one in my room, no one feeding me nectar or checking up on me. Not even Annabeth was there and she was usually worried sick in these situations.  
Sitting up, the back of my head ached and the side of my body was bruised but the marks were fading due to the amazing healing abilities of the Apollo Campers. I presume it was one of them since they often heal people after a battle.  
Seeing a new set of clothes on a nearby chair, I dressed myself and proceeded to leave the room and venture out into the sunlight.  
"Percy!" Piper's voice called my name and soon the face of the Daughter of Aphrodite was jumping up in front of me.  
"Piper, calm down." I chuckled but she was just so excited I couldn't even speak to her properly. "Tell me why are you so jumpy?"  
"I've been babysitting!" She cheered, grabbing my shoulders.  
"What?"  
"Come with me." she shrieked, clutching my hand and dragging me round the side of the Big House. She must have been talking too Leo and Hazel as they just looked at us both with humored smiles. "You'll love her."  
"Her?"  
Any questions I might have had were answered quickly when I saw the rest of my friends hanging outside the Cabins, laughing and just being themselves. But the main difference was that the brown haired guy from the Hydra attack was in the middle of them, holding the pink blanket he ran into the Camp with.  
I was dragged closer to them and they soon spotted me, getting up and greeting with hugs and hi-fives. Annabeth kissed my cheek before returning back to the books scattered around the floor. I didn't take anything from it since this was her usual behavior. What really caught my attention though was how Jason, Shannon and Natalie were all interested in the pink blanket whilst the dude bobbed it up and down.  
"Hey Percy." Shannon said, a mischievous smile growing on her face.  
"C'mon, you've got to see her." Piper bobbed up and down on the spot. I smiled at her and followed her lead as she led me behind the others. "Percy, this is Liam Woolf."  
"I'm sure that's a dude." I retorted, receiving a punch in the arm.  
"I know that." Piper rolled her eyes.  
"You must be Percy Jackson." Liam smirked.  
"You've heard about me?"  
"Not really." he joked, earning a chuckle from everyone. Even Annabeth looked away from her book to smile. "You wanna see something rare?"  
"Dude, I have a girlfriend." Piper, Shannon, Annabeth and Frank sniggered, knowing my intention whilst Natalie and Jason looked stunned. Liam just stuck his tongue out and muttered something that sounded like 'spoil sport'.  
"Just look." Piper nudged me. Nodding to Liam, he proceeded to open the blanket to reveal the beautiful yawning face of a baby girl. Now I know I've seen a baby before but this one was different, she seemed to glow and in my gut all I felt was that I must protect her, lay down my life for her even. I have only ever felt that for one person so how on all of Olympus was I feeling this for a baby I've just met. "Isn't she beautiful?"  
"Yeah." I swallowed, ignoring Liam's half-smirk as he poked the baby's nose. "What's her name?"  
"Nikita-Ray or Nikki-Ray for short."  
"Wow." Was all I could say.  
"Isn't my sister pretty." Piper squirmed, acting goofy as she often did.  
"Now I get it, she's a Daughter of Aphrodite." I stated, feeling much more certain with myself.  
"And Ares." Liam added.  
"No offense, especially to you Frank but she can't be a Daughter of Ares." I pointed out, the image of Clarisse coming up clear into my mind. "She just can't."  
"Well she is."  
"But wait, how is she Piper's sister then?" I asked, wanting to rip my hair out from all the confusion.  
"Nikita-Ray is the child of Aphrodite and Ares." My jaw dropped. "She is a God, Percy."  
"What?" was I said. Nikita-Ray opened her eyes slightly and I swear I could see every colour within them. At one point they were blue then they shifted to brown before once again shifting to grey, the stormy grey that looked similar to Annabeth's.  
"She's a God."  
"Is that even possible?" I asked, dropping to my knees cause my legs were starting to hurt. I must have been still tired for them to be like that.  
"The Olympian Gods have not been around since the beginning of time." Annabeth interupted. "True the legends say that Zeus made man from the Earth and that whole ordeal with Prometheus and fire. But remember, the Gods were born from the Titans who ruled the Earth. Then look at the Minor Gods, true they aren't Olympians but they too were born from Gods. It is possible for a New God to be born in our lifetime."  
"But what would Nikita-Ray be a God off, they must know?"  
"Maybe she is the Goddess of cuteness." Liam tickled the baby's stomach and she squirmed, making gurgling noises because she was too young to start giggling.  
"I don't really care to be honest." Liam spoke up, looking down upon the baby. "All I know is that I have to protect her."  
"How is she even with you anyway?"  
"I don't actually know." Liam frowned. "I just came home one day and my Sister was holding this little thing. It was over a week ago I had to leave with Nikki-Ray and come here."  
"Well can't you go home?"  
"I don't think I can, especially when I probably don't have any family left." he became solemn. None of us needed to ask him why that was since it was a pretty easy guess concerning the expression on his face. "But I did what I needed to do, that's all."  
"I'm sorry Liam." Natalie said.  
"It's fine, things happen."  
At that moment the baby started to cry, thrashing its arms around wildly. Liam stood up and began bouncing stupidly on the spot, looking rather foolish as he technically squatted. "Its the only thing that can get her to sleep."  
"I think its sweet." Piper cooed.  
"Good, she's yours for the rest of the day." Liam had already placed Nikki-Ray in her arms before she could protest.  
"What in Hades do I do now?" she panicked.


End file.
